Railway signal-lam p



2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O. H. DASOOMBV RAILWAY SIGNAL LAMP.

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 20,.1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. DASOOMB, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RAILWAY SIGNAL-LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,175, dated September 20, 1881.

Application filed May 23, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. DASCOMB, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and. State of Ohio,haveinvented acertain new and Improved Railway Signal Lamp; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and complete description thereof.

I am aware that signal-lanterns have been provided with difl'erent-colored glasses and mounted upon a shaft or rod, and adapted to turn upon an axis, operated by the mechanism for working the switch for the purpose of signaling a train; nor do I broadly claim a signal with colored glasses or light operated by the switch-lever to indicate when the switch is either opened or closed on the line or side track, and visible to the engineer.

The nature of this invention relates to atelegraphic apparatus for railway purposes,whereby information is given from the station toincornin g trains that the tracks at the station are open or clear for the trains to pass, or closed so that they must come to a stop, or that one of the tracks is open and the other is not. Said. apparatus is elevated upon a post set near the railway-tracks, and operated at the foot of the post by a handle for signaling the train. The apparatus may also be secured to the side of the station-house, and operated for the above-said purposes from within, thereby, under some circumstances, making the telegraphic apparatus more convenient for the operator than when placed at the side of the track.

A further and more full description of the said telegraph is as follows. For illustration reference will be made to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of the body of the telegraphic apparatus as seen from the railway-track and mounted on a post. Fig. 2. is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal transverse section taken through the line ax of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a detached section. Fig. 5 is a side view of the telegraph, shown secured to the wall of the station-house and operated from the inside of the house. Fig. 6 is an end view of the same. I Fig. 7 is a transverse longitudinal section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

In the drawings, A represents a cylindrical case, constructed of sheet metal, and provided with a removable perforated cover, B, to obtain access to the inside for placing a. lamp therein. In two opposite sides of the case is a largeopening, respectively O and C, Fig. 3, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, whereof D D are the sides. Within said case isfit-ted closely, but so as to rotate freely therein, a cylinder, E, Figs. 1 to 3. The bottom of the cylinderE is secured to the end of the rod F, forming its pivotal center and revolving therewith, the rod having its foot bearing in a step placed in the plane of the index-table Gr, Fig. 4. The rod is operated for rotating the cylinder by a handle, 'H, as will presently be shown. In the sides of the inner cylinder are six circular apertures or eyes, 1 2 3, &c.,two of which,1 and 4, are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These several apertures are covered on the inside, respectively, with plates of glass 1 2 3, 8210., secured in place by guides or stays a, Fig. 2. Instead of plates of glass, the several apertures may be provided with glass termed bulls eyes, practically more desirable than plates of glass.

I is a post, upon which the telegraphic device is mounted, and is set close to the side of the track, with the openings O 0, above alluded to, arranged that they may be seen by approaching trains. Three of the plates of glass, 1, 4, and 6, are white ordinary window-glass. Two of them, 1 and 4', are directly opposite each other and at the openings 0 O of the case, through which they are seen from the outside, as shown in Fig. 3. The other three plates of glass, 2, 3, and 5, are red, two of which, 2 and 5, are opposite each other, as seen in said Fig. 3, whereas the white plate 6 is directly opposite the red one 3. The sides of the cylinder E are white and red, corresponding to the color of the glass on said sides, which, as the cylinder revolves, show through the openings O O.

The practical operation of the above described apparatus is as follows: The post I, supporting the apparatus, as above said, is set near the side of the railway-tracks, supposing there are two tracks. The position of the apparatus in respect to the tracks is such that the two openings 0 O can be seen respectively from the tracks, running each way therefrom, so that the engineers of approaching trains can see the signal that may be present in the said openings. The white color, when shown, indicates that the tracks are clear, that the train or trains can pass with safety, while the red lights, when shown,indicate that the way is not clear-therefore "stop, danger. As shown in the drawings, the white lights 1 and 4. are displayed. This adjustment of the light is done by the operator turning the cylinder in the case by means of the handle H, Fig. 4, so as to bring it between the white spots a, corresponding to the two white colors 1 and 4 of the cylinder-that is to say, when the handle is so turned as to bring it between the two white spots on the table Gr, Fig. 4, the cylinder will be turned also, bringing the white glass or light into sight, as shown in Fig. 3 and 1 and 4. 1n the event the tracks are closed, the two red signal-lights 2 and 5 are displayed in the openings 0 C by shifting the handle H from its place between the two white spots to between the two dark spots I) b. This movement of the handle rotates the cylinder and brings the two red lights 2 and 5 into sight through the openings 0 0, indicating that the tracks are not clear. In the event one track is clear and the other is not, the handle is shifted to and between the dark and white spots 0 0, Fig. 4. This movement will bring the red light 3 to the opening 0 and the white light 6 to the opposite opening, thereby indicating to a train coming in one directionfor instance, northon one track that the wayis clear, and

' to another train running south on another parallel track that the Way is not clear; and so, in case the way is not clear for the train coming north and the way is clear for the one going south, the handle is adjusted between the dark and white spots 01 and d, indicating thereby that the way is not clear for the one and is clear for the other. It will be obvious from the above that the dark and white spots correspond to the red and white lights shown in the cylinder of the telegraph.

The handle H, when adjusted to either of the two positions described, is retained in place by a nib, m, Fig.1, on the under side thereof, which, on adjusting the handle between the spots, drops into a hole, 6. A section of the handle constitutes a spring, and retains the nib in the hole until lifted therefrom for changing its position.

The telegraphic apparatus, as above de scribed, is represented as being stationed near the track and operated by the rod and handle for the purposes specified. In some places it is desirable, for convenience, to have the telegraph or apparatus attached to the side of the building and operate it from the inside thereof, thereby saving the trouble of going outside for that purpose. To this end a slight modification of the telegraph is made.

Instead ofusing the revolving cylinder within a case, A, it is taken out and attached to the side of the station-house, near a window, by the following means: A tube, A, is passed through the wall B on one side of a window, allowing it to project a certain distance outside, as seen in Figs. 5 and 7, and for a short distance inside, as seen at G in Figs. 5 and 7. In the outer end of said cylinder M, Figs. 5 and 7, atD, is firmly fixed one end of a shaft, E, adapted to fit-loosely in the tube A, through which it passes, and projects beyond the inner end of the tube and terminates in a knob, F, by which the shaft and the cylinder 'M attached thereto are rotated. The shaft rotates within the tube, and the cylinder around both shaft and tube. The end of the cylinder nearest the wall has its bearing on the tube, as seen in Fig. 7. In the sides of the cylinder are three holes or eyes, equally distant from each other, two of which are shown in Figs. 5 and 7, and all of which are indicated by the dotted lines 1, 2, and 3 in Fig. 6. In said figure it will be seen that the eyes are respectively be tween the dotted radial lines 1. 2 3". Each of the eyes above alluded to is covered on the inside with plates of glassviz., white, red, and green. So also are the radial broken lines colored white, red, and green, corresponding to the colors of the eyes to which they are respectively related. Thus the white line 1 is related to the white eye 1, and is opposite said eye, as shown in Fig.6. The red line 2 is related to the red eye 2, and is opposite the eye 2. So also the green line 3 is related to the green eye 3, and opposite it.

' In the inner end of the tube A, above referred to, are made three notches or gains, 1, Fig. 6. Said notches are respectively related to the three lines above alluded to, for a purpose presently shown.

On the collar of the knob F, terminating the shaft E, above referred to, is formed a nib,

a, Fig. 5, adapted to fit in and engage the notches in the end of the tube, as seen in said Fig. 5. Around the rod F, between the wall B and the cylinder, is a spring, N, which portion of the rod is not covered by the sleeve 0, to allow the cylinder to move laterally, to which further reference will be made.

As shown in the drawings, the cylinder above described is represented as being on the outside of the building, and is attached thereto so near the side of the window as to lap over it, so that the end of the cylinder, with its radial lines, may be seen through the window. On the other side of the window is secured, in like manner, a cylinder, M, constructed substantially in the same manner as the cylinder M and operated in the same way. As shown in Fig. 6, the ends of the two cylinders are seen through the window 0, of which B are the sides. Both of the cylinders project out from the side of the station-house, and at right angles to the tracks, so that the sides of the cylinders respectively may be seen from the tracks each way from the station.

The operation of the cylinders for signaling is the same as thatin the case above described, and is simply thus: If the tracks are clear the operator, by means of the knobs F, pulls the cylinders toward him, thereby dislodging the nib n from one of the notches 1", which when done he turns the cylinders so that the white radial lines 1 of the cylinders will be toward each other, in a horizontal position, as seen in Fig. 6. This movement of the cylinders will bring the two white lights 1 and 1 in direction of the tracks, so that they may be seen therefrom in either direction, said lights indicating that the tracks are clear. Should the tracks not be clear, then the cylinders are turned so that the red lines will be in a horizontal position toward each other, and seen thus through the window, thereby displaying the red lights to the coming trains. If the condition of the as to bring the green radial lines to a horizontal position and toward each other, which will display the green lights to the coming trains, cautionin g them to run with care. In the event one track is clear and the other is not, then one of the cylinders is turned to showa white and the other a red light, as the case may be; and so, if one is doubtful, the green light is shown.

The purpose of the nib n and the notch is to secure the cylinders from turning when adjusted for signaling. On pulling upon the knobs the cylinders are drawn torward and the nib from the notch. When the cylinders are turned as desired the reaction of the spring N draws the nib into a notch corresponding to the color of the light and locks the cylinders in position, so that they cannot be turned without first drawing them forward for the disengagement of the nib from the notch.

A lamp is suspended in each cylinder from the tube, and access is had to the inside of them through the doors R.

The subject-matter of the invention shown in the drawings, Plate 2, and set forth in the specification, is not claimed herein, as it is designed to be madethe subject of a separate application.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to 50 secure by Letters Patent, is-- tracks is doubtful, the cylinders are turned so 1. In signal lamps or telegraphs for railways, the combination, with the cylindrical case A, having in two opposite, sides thereof openings, respectively 0 and G, of a cylinder fitted to and adapted to revolve in said case, 5 and provided with six apertures arranged circumferentially in the sides thereof, and glazed with white and colored glass, so arranged in relation to each other that on'revolving the cylinder a colored glass or light may be seen synchronously through each of the openings 0 and O, or a white glass or light through each of the said openings, or a white and colored glass or light, respectively, seen through the openings, as the condition of things may require, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of an index-table having marks or pairs of spots corresponding to the several positions of the revolving cylinder in case A, the rod F, attached to said cylinder and having a foot hearing or step in the plane of the index-table, and provided with an arm or handle having a nib thereon adapted to engage the hole 6 when said arm is adjusted between any pair of spots on the face of said table adjacent thereto, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

3. The index-table G, having thereon an associat-ion of white spots and of black spots, and associations of white and black spots, arranged in relation to each other as described, and in representative relation to the white and colored glass in the revolving cylinder, substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

4. In signaling-lamps for railways, the combination of the index-table, arm H, nib, and rod, the revolving cylinder provided with a circumferential arrangement of white and (101- ored glazed apertures, and arranged respectively in relation to each other and to the openings O and O of the case mounted upon apost, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. DASCOMB.

Witnesses:

J. H. BURRIDGE, W. H. KING. 

